There have been many conflicting views about the health benefits of coffee.

Many researchers say that coffee is good for health for others claim otherwise.  What do these researchers say?

Many types of research involving thousands of subjects say that there are many benefits of drinking coffee whether it is caffeinated or decaffeinated.  In women, for example, coffee consumption has been found to lower the all-cause mortality for those drinking 3 cups per day compared to non-drinkers.  In men, the benefit is not the same but some decreased risk of all-cause death was seen among those drinking at least 2 cups per day.

Other health benefits of consuming 3-5 cups of coffee per day include decreased risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease and dementia, as well as Parkinson’s disease.  Caffeinated coffee decreases the incidence of gallstones and gallbladder diseases.  Elderly regular coffee drinkers have better cognitive performance and performed better in examinations given.

Since coffee contains caffeine, a potent analgesic, it enhances the effect of painkillers.  Coffee intake may reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes by about 50%.  This is effective however by consuming 7 cups a day for a prolonged period.  Other diseases that can be prevented by taking coffee are liver cirrhosis and liver cancer, as well as cancer of other parts of the gastrointestinal tract.  This is because of the antioxidant content of roast coffee.  There is a moderately lower risk of dying due to cardiovascular disease.

Since caffeine is a mildly addictive stimulant there are adverse cardiovascular effect like increased heart rate and blood pressure and occasional irregular heartbeat.  It can also aggravate a pre-existing gastric ulcers.

The choice is yours, to drink coffee or not.  But if you do, it seems like you have to consume more than a cup a day to get its health benefits.  Drink it freshly brewed and caffeinated.